Articles by Thomas Koloski

One Liberty Place before topping of the spire. Photo from the Philadelphia Inquirer

Philly YIMBY Revisits the Topping-Out of the Spire atop One Liberty Place in Center City

The Liberty Place development in Center City holds a pivotal place in the Philadelphia skyline, having made a gigantic impact on the and the city’s image and its profile as a business hub. A pointed spire tops the tallest tower, the 945-foot-tall One Liberty Place at 1650 Market Street, outfitted with broadcasting equipment. The complex was designed by Helmut Jahn of Murphy/Jahn and developed by Rouse and Associates. In this feature, Philadelphia YIMBY shares images of One Liberty Place from the day the spire had topped out.

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1101 Walnut Street. Rendering credit: JKRP Architects

Philadelphia YIMBY Presents New Massings Of 1101 Walnut Street In Washington Square West, Center City

A recent update revealed that plans for a residential building proposed at 1101 Walnut Street in Washington Square West, Center City have recently been downgraded in scale. Designed by JKRP Architects and developed by LD Investment Partners LLC, the building will now rise 199 feet ant 18 stories tall, and will now hold 198 residential units. Today we present new massings that show how the updated design will look on the skyline.

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Commerce Square from Spring Garden Street Bridge. Photo by Thomas Koloski

Looking Back at the Construction of Two Commerce Square at 2001 Market Street in Center City

In 1987, construction was finished at One Commerce Square in Center City, with the building opening in October, but the complex was still unfinished as a second tower was planned. Two Commerce Square would rise at 2001 Market Street to the west of the first building, filling in a gap between the finished structure and the Independence Blue Cross Tower. The second tower rises 565 feet and 41 stories tall. Designed by I. M. Pei and Partners and developed by Maguire Thomas Partners of Los Angeles, the Commerce Square complex was completed in 1992 and this became last structure built in the 1980s boom after the unofficial Gentleman’s Agreement height limit was eliminated.

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Philadelphia 1905 and 2020 south elevation. Photo by Thomas Koloski

Looking Back At The Creation Of The Philadelphia Massing

For over a year, Philadelphia YIMBY has been providing extensive publications and visuals depicting new developments planned for the future as well as notable towers that have risen in the past. We have offered images from drawn schematics, custom-made renderings, and skyline massings to give the public a clear look at the structures featured. Any time new high-rise buildings have been revealed or design changes were made, YIMBY reports on the changes with three-dimensional skyline views from various directions. In this feature, we look back at the creation of the 3D skyline massings that we continue to provide to this day.

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Philadelphia 1945 aerial looking east. Models and image by Thomas Koloski

Observing the “Chinese Wall” Rail Viaduct on the 1945 Cityscape

In the late 1800s, the city of Philadelphia made a bold move that greatly transformed and influenced both mass transit and the cityscape when they allowed Pennsylvania Railroad to construct a massive rail viaduct in Center City. One of the largest transportation projects in the city, dubbed to citizens as the “Chinese Wall” due to its appearance and presence, had a dramatic effect on the city’s planning for years to come. Designed by the Wilson Brothers, the rail line stood next to Broad Street Station, which sat on the current site of Dilworth Park, and stretched out all the way to West Philadelphia. The structure saw busy rail service for decades, yet it ultimately met its fate in 1953 after it was demolished to make way for future development. Today YIMBY presents an exclusive massing mock-up of how the structure appeared on the cityscape in 1945.

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